1. Western Isles: Gaelic language abilities by age – 2001 Census Analysis and graphical illustration: K. MacKinnon, SGRÙD Research © 2003 for Comunn na Gàidhlig Source: GROS Census 2001 Scotland, Tables S206, UV12; Census day population counts, 30.09.02 Table 2.

2. Western Isles: Gaelic language abilities by age 2001 Age-groupTotal poplnGaelic spksread, write, other comb Understand Gaelic only All Gaelic lng abilities 0 - 2 757 119 1 239 3 - 4 537 144 2 77 223 5 - 11 2,248 993 44 257 1,294 12 - 15 1,461 829 81 130 1,040 16 - 19 1,094 489 29 138 656 20 - 24 1,156 489 17 192 698 25 - 29 1,402 657 28 200 903 30 - 34 1,703 895 33 227 1,155 35 - 39 1,851 1,036 24 202 1,262 40 - 44 1,880 1,088 19 211 1,318

3. Age-groupTotal poplnGaelic spksread, write, other comb Understand Gaelic only All Gaelic abilities 45 - 49 1,835 1,107 13 142 1,262 50 - 54 2,021 1,277 17 159 1,453 55 - 59 1,679 1,137 13 96 1,246 60 - 64 1,633 1,198 9 110 1,317 65 - 69 1,463 1,144 10 79 1,233 70 - 74 1,232 1,012 4 64 1,080 75 - 79 1,137 949 6 44 999 80 - 84 702 591 8 29 628 85 - 89 445 396 0 8 404 90 + 266 243 0 9 252 Total26,502 15,811 358 2,49318,662

4. Western Isles 2001 Census: persons with Gaelic language abilities – numbers (Under-20s as: 0-2, 3-4, 5-11, 12-15, and 16-19 )

5. Western Isles 2001 Census: persons with Gaelic language abilities – numbers (Under-20s as: 0-4, 5-9, 10-14, and 15-19)

6. Western Isles Gaelic abilities by age 2001 Census:  Note: The ‘Read/write, other combinations category contained a very small number of persons (unknown but fewer than 31) able to speak and write but not read Gaelic.  The number of Gaelic speakers in the 3-15 age-group in 2001 dropped to: 1,966 – or 45.3% of the total age-group. In 1991 they were: 2,584 – or 49.3% in 1991, 3,986 – or 67.7% in 1981, and: 4,396 – or 67.6% in 1971.  This represents a slowing down of the precipitous collapse of Gaelic amongst young people between 1981 – 1991  Clearly recent levels of GME involving only 25% of primary pupils is quite insufficient effectively to maintain Gaelic amongst young people or in the community.

7. Western Isles 2001 Census: all persons with and without Gaelic language abilities – numbers (under-20s as: 0-2, 3-4, 5-11, 12-15, and 16-19.)

8. Western Isles 2001 Census: all persons with and without Gaelic language abilities – numbers (under-20s as: 0-4, 5-9, 10-14, and 15-19.)

9. Western Isles – Gaelic abilities by age 2001 Census  Gaelic speakers in the 3-15 age-group as a proportion of all Gaelic speakers aged 3+ was: 12.5% in 2001, compared with: 13.2% in 1991, 18.6% in 1981, and: 19.2% in 1971.  Gaelic speakers aged between 3- 25 as a proportion of all Gaelic speakers aged 3+ was: 18.7% in 2001, 24.7% in 1991, and: 30.4% in 1981.  These figures represent a substantial and rapid decline in Gaelic community vitality (which needs to exceed 33.3% even to match natural losses.)

10. Western Isles 2001 Census: all persons with and without Gaelic language abilities – as %s (Under 20s as: 0-2, 3-4, 5-11, 12-15, and 16-19)

11. Western Isles: young people in 2001 Census  The census presentation as age groups 0-2, 3-4, 5-11, 12-15, 16-19 distorts the comparison with older age groups.  Further analysis has enabled the under-20 age-range to be shown in comparable 5-year cohorts, with Gaelic language abilities re- partitioned between them.  Western Isles shows an even more acute population loss amongst 15 – 34s than other Highlands and Islands areas..  The 5 –15 population ‘bulge’ is not maintained amongst 16-34s.  However the modest increase of proportion of Gaelic speakers amongst under-16s is probably due to Gaelic-medium schooling.  Its scale – currently at 25% - is however quite insufficient to make any substantial demographic impact. It may slow down decline but cannot at present levels be at all expected to reverse it.  Clearly, the maintenance of a viable Gaelic community in the Western Isles implies that all its children become effectively bilingual.